Comments

Thank you to the MRAA for doing research on how the health care bill will effect our business. It would have been great if the researcher put the page and section on where he or she found this information in the bill. I found a couple of errors but overall good job. I for one do not beleive everthing I read anymore, I need to check with the facts before I make up my mind. Unfortunatly in today’s media world talk show host pretending to be respected news people will say anthing to get ratings and sell advertising.
This healthcare bill will be great for just about everyone. And for those that think it will raise your taxes think again or read the bill. Yes, if you make over $200K per year (and remember that’s after AGI) individuals will pay more in Medicare tax. Who do you know that made over $200K las year that works fulltime in the boat biz? If anyone knows anyone I would like to give him a huge.

Capt. Chris – sorry but you are completely clueless if you think that there are not many people in the marine business who will be effected in a very negative way.
Remember, we are a relatively small and fragmented industry. We have a LOT of family owned and/or private companies – from boat dealers, to boat parts distributors, to boat manufacturers. The vast majority of those are S-corps or LLCs – which means the companies taxes are paid by passing thru earnings of the company to the shareholders, who pay personal income taxes on the company’s income. It does not take a “huge” company to yield $200k income. Even if that income is not even taken out of the company, the stockholders still pay income tax on it! So this will affect a huge precentage of marine businesses. If the taxes go up on these folks – where do you think they have to go to get those taxes? They have to pull more money from the business to break even – so that means less money to pay employees, invest in the business, etc. It will likely mean higher prices, if they cannot cut expenses more.
Oh, and to let some of you know what to expect. Today, I received our companies new health insurance rates that will go in effect in May. Guess what – they went up 30% ! In the past several years, it has been maybe 10-15% increases. But with the new health care reform coming at them, just as predicted, the insurance companies are going to have to jack up rates to everyone to be able to afford to cover the 30+ million new people and all pre-existing conditions. So what does a small boat parts maker like me do? I have to find that 30% increase somewhere, it will probably mean I have to lay off some employees. Now when the whole country gets these 30%+ increases in rates, then more companies will not be able to afford health care insurance. So will have to lay off people or they will drop coverage and pay the penalties . Which is exactly what the government wants – because after companies start dropping millions of people, then all those people get their health insurance from the government! And, by necessity, more of our health insurance companies will go bankrupt, since they can’t compete with the government, and eventually the government is the only game in town. Which is the ultimate goal of the socialist movement – more voters under government control…. game over.
So, just keep your head stuck in the sand, if you think that this health care reform is good for anyone but the government and the deadwood. You will soon learn the painful truth.

Are we all reading the same document? Is the Norman-Spencer Insurance Agency in the media business? Aside from the Medicare tax issue noted, there are several higher taxes, fines, fees – plus a “SIN” tax for having too much insurance coverage – coming down the road which individuals will be directly paying for out of their pocket. Businesses that incur the taxes, etc., are sure to pass those new costs on to the end user (there is no restriction on this) which means individuals will be paying more out of their pocket! The Medicare tax issue as a selling point is moot when you look at the bigger picture!

Here we go. I knew it would happen. I predicted this. Health insurance rates will go up and everyone will blame the new bill. Don’t people listen to how they think? My health insurance was $90/month with a $1000 deductible for me and my wife back in 1995. That’s $45 for me alone and now I am single. I have never used it once and have no health issues. It has gone incrementally each year, sometimes a bigger jump than others. Last year it was going to go up to $604 a month. Over 14 years, that’s over a 1300 percent increase. I opted for $400/month with a $6000 deductible. By the time the new system goes into effect, I will be 65 and on medicare. If nothing happens, I will be out $16,800. If something does happen, add the $6000 deductible on top of that per year. The existing system is killing us, so to speak. It will mandatory for all those healthy to have insurance, but it’s mandatory to take care of them if they don’t have it. Ask any hospital and any doctor. In the long run, this will help all businesses and individuals as healthy people must pay into it when young and all rates will stabilize. In the short run, it will only help the minority who can’t afford current health insurance. Of course there are a lot of people against it. The majority always fights helping the minority.

If this is such a great plan then why is it that all the crooked folks that are voting on this exempt from this so called great plan??????????. Read it page 114 line 22 All this is going to do is cost the working man and his employer $$$$$$

capt. chris,
I am sorry to tell you that it is exactly uninformed people like yourself that have allowed the Democrats/Obama to shove this abortion of a bill down the Americam peoples throats.
Poll after poll showed that a significant majority was opposed to this socialist take over of our health care system yet the Democrats know what is best for us, don’t they? Now anyone that dares to speak against this plan is demonized as a right wing nut. This is exactly how Stalin did it, controll the media, controll the message and demonize whomever dared to speak against him. But it can’t happen in this country, can it?
Why don’t you sail away to Europe and enroll in one of their wonderful socialized health care systems for a year or two and then you can tell us how wonderful it is. Hope you are not over 60 because that is when you are to old to spend any Euro’s on.
Next up and in no particular order, VAT Tax, Cap & Trade Tax, more controlls/restrictions/legislation on our economy, citizenship for all illegal immigrants and that is just the beginning.
But not to worry Comrade the government knows what is best for us, don’t they.

Hey Captain Chris,
Not many affected eh? Go back and slowly read and digest the sheer number of tax increases, penalties, and consumer pass throughs (pharmaceuticals) and ask yourself one question. Are you not affected? They have not missed anyone in this so called reform, one way or another this reform has its fingers in everyones pockets. Wake up, you appear to be the one who is uninformed. Anyone believing that making less than $200,000 is not affected are unconscious, read the fees and penalties to manufacturers and employers and ask won’t this affect me? Also remember, if you do not BUY health insurance you, the citizen, will be “penalized” 2.5% of your gross annual income…sounds to me like you are affected. Wake up! There is no free ride, even for the zealots who believe in socialism.